Never-ever-give-up-by-Diana-Nyad

It'sthefifthtimeIstandonthisshore,theCubanshore,lookingoutatthatdistanthorizon,believing,again,thatI'mgoingtomakeitallthewayacrossthatvast,dangerouswildernessofanocean.NotonlyhaveItriedfourtimes,butthegreatestswimmersintheworldhavebeentryingsince1950,andit'sstillneverbeendone.Theteamisproudofourfourattempts.It'sanexpeditionofsome30people.Bonnieismybestfriendandheadhandler,whosomehowsummonswill,thatlastdropofwillwithinme,whenIthinkit'sgone,aftermany,manyhoursanddaysoutthere.Thesharkexpertsarethebestintheworld--largepredatorsbelow.Theboxjellyfish,thedeadliestvenominalloftheocean,isinthesewaters,andIhavecomeclosetodyingfromthemonapreviousattempt.Theconditionsthemselves,besidesthesheerdistanceofover100milesintheopenocean--thecurrentsandwhirlingeddiesandtheGulfStreamitself,themostunpredictableofalloftheplanetEarth.Andbytheway,it'samusingtomethatjournalistsandpeoplebeforetheseattemptsoftenaskme,Well,areyougoingtogowithanyboatsoranypeopleoranything?AndI'mthinking,whataretheyimagining?ThatI'lljustsortofdosomecelestialnavigation,andcarryabowieknifeinmymouth,andI'llhuntfishandskinthemaliveandeatthem,andmaybedragadesalinizationplantbehindmeforfreshwater.(Laughter)Yes,Ihaveateam.(Laughter)Andtheteamisexpert,andtheteamiscourageous,andbrimmingwithinnovationandscientificdiscovery,asistruewithanymajorexpeditionontheplanet.Andwe'vebeenonajourney.Andthedebatehasraged,hasn'tit,sincetheGreeks,ofisn'titwhatit'sallabout?Isn'tlifeaboutthejourney,notreallythedestination?Andherewe'vebeenonthisjourney,andthetruthis,it'sbeenthrilling.Wehaven'treachedthatothershore,andstilloursenseofprideandcommitment,unwaveringcommitment.WhenIturned60,thedreamwasstillalivefromhavingtriedthisinmy20s,anddreameditandimaginedit.ThemostfamousbodyofwaterontheEarthtoday,Iimagine,CubatoFlorida.Anditwasdeep.Itwasdeepinmysoul.AndwhenIturned60,itwasn'tsomuchabouttheathleticaccomplishment,itwasn'ttheegoofIwanttobethefirst.That'salwaysthereandit'sundeniable.Butitwasdeeper.Itwas,howmuchlifeisthereleft?Let'sfaceit,we'reallonaone-waystreet,aren'twe,andwhatarewegoingtodo?Whatarewegoingtodoaswegoforwardtohavenoregretslookingback?Andallthispastyearintraining,IhadthatTeddyRooseveltquotetoparaphraseit,floatingaroundinmybrain,anditsays,Yougoahead,yougoaheadandsitbackinyourcomfortablechairandyoubethecritic,youbetheobserver,whilethebraveonegetsintheringandengagesandgetsbloodyandgetsdirtyandfailsoverandoverandoveragain,butyetisn'tafraidandisn'ttimidandliveslifeinaboldway.AndsoofcourseIwanttomakeitacross.Itisthegoal,andIshouldbesoshallowtosaythatthisyear,thedestinationwasevensweeterthanthejourney.(Laughter)(Applause)Butthejourneyitselfwasworthwhiletaking.Andatthispoint,bythissummer,everybody--scientists,sportsscientists,enduranceexperts,neurologists,myownteam,Bonnie--saidit'simpossible.Itjustsimplycan'tbedone,andBonniesaidtome,Butifyou'regoingtotakethejourney,I'mgoingtoseeyouthroughtotheendofit,soI'llbethere.Andnowwe'rethere.Andaswe'relookingout,kindofasurrealmomentbeforethefirststroke,standingontherocksatMarinaHemingway,theCubanflagisflyingabove,allmyteam'soutintheirboats,handsupintheair,We'rehere,we'rehereforyou,BonnieandIlookateachother,andwesay,thisyear,themantrais--andI'vebeenusingitintraining--findaway.Youhaveadreamandyouhaveobstaclesinfrontofyou,aswealldo.Noneofusevergetthroughthislifewithoutheartache,withoutturmoil,andifyoubelieveandyouhavefaithandyoucangetknockeddownandgetbackupagainandyoubelieveinperseveranceasagreathumanquality,youfindyourway,andBonniegrabbedmyshoulders,andshesaid,Let'sfindourwaytoFlorida.Andwestarted,andforthenext53hours,itwasanintense,unforgettablelifeexperience.Thehighswerehigh,theawe,I'mnotareligiousperson,butI'lltellyou,tobeintheazureblueoftheGulfStreamasif,asyou'rebreathing,you'relookingdownmilesandmilesandmiles,tofeelthemajestyofthisblueplanetweliveon,it'sawe-inspiring.Ihaveaplaylistofabout85songs,andespeciallyinthemiddleofthenight,andthatnight,becauseweusenolights--lightsattractjellyfish,lightsattractsharks,lightsattractbaitfishthatattractsharks,sowegointhepitchblackofthenight.You'veneverseenblackthisblack.Youcan'tseethefrontofyourhand,andthepeopleontheboat,Bonnieandmyteamontheboat,theyjustheartheslappingofthearms,andtheyknowwhereIam,becausethere'snovisualatall.AndI'mouttherekindoftrippingoutonmylittleplaylist.(Laughter)I'vegotatightrubbercap,soIdon'thearathing.I'vegotgogglesandI'mturningmyhead50timesaminute,andI'msinging,♪Imaginethere'snoheaven♪♪doodoodoodoodoo♪♪It'seasyifyoutry♪♪doodoodoodoodoo♪AndIcansingthatsongathousandtimesinarow.(Laughter)Nowthere'satalentuntoitself.(Laughter)(Applause)AndeachtimeIgetdonewith♪Ooh,youmaysayI'madreamerbutI'mnottheonlyone♪222.♪Imaginethere'snoheaven♪AndwhenIgetthroughtheendofathousandofJohnLennon'sImagine,Ihaveswumninehoursand45minutes,exactly.Andthentherearethecrises.Ofcoursethereare.Andthevomitingstarts,theseawater,you'renotwell,you'rewearingajellyfishmaskfortheultimateprotection.It'sdifficulttoswimin.It'scausingabrasionsontheinsideofthemouth,butthetentaclescan'tgetyou.Andthehypothermiasetsin.Thewater